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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I didn’t love how much of this was a retelling of the first two books from a different perspective. Loved the couple though and excited to see where it goes from here!
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rating: 3.5 stars
An Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen is the third book in the Bridge Kingdom series, but instead of following Lara and Aren, this story focuses on Lara's brother Keris and introduces Zarrah. The events unfold alongside The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2), as Keris and Zarrah from two warring kingdoms form an unexpected alliance that deepens into something more until their true identities are revealed.
Because this book runs parallel to The Traitor Queen, many of the major plot points and outcomes are already known. This made some of the more stressful moments less impactful since the tension was diminished. That said, Danielle L. Jensen makes a clear effort to keep the scenes fresh and not overly repetitive, which I appreciated.
Keris and Zarrah are fascinating leads, and their romance is entertaining, though I didn’t fall in love with them in the same way I had with Aren and Lara. Their relationship develops quickly, not quite insta-love but still faster than I would have preferred. It felt fitting for Keris, but less in line with how Zarrah had been built up.
What I really enjoyed, though, was how much their characters made me think. Keris starts as someone who wants nothing to do with the war yet doesn’t act to stop it, and his growth into a man who backs his words with action was very satisfying. Zarrah, meanwhile, has long been the face of her aunt’s army and fueled by vengeance. Watching her begin to question who truly benefits from war was a highlight of the story.
The worldbuilding also stood out here, giving a stronger sense of how widespread the conflict has become and how deeply the wars have scarred the kingdoms. Seeing the impact from multiple sides made the story feel larger and more layered, helping me better understand the costs of the endless fighting.
Compared to the first two books, this one feels different in tone. Where Aren and Lara’s romance was driven by political intrigue, betrayal, and high-stakes tension, Keris and Zarrah’s story is more reflective and morally complex. It asks bigger questions about loyalty, the cost of war, and whether love can survive when everything else is broken.
Even with how much I liked these characters, I felt the book spent too much time on moments that overlapped with the previous installment, leaving less room for the new and unexplored. Still, the romance was fun, the themes were strong, and the writing carried me through.
I continue to love this series, and I’m excited to see where it goes next, especially with less overlap and more original ground to cover.
An Inadequate Heir by Danielle L. Jensen is the third book in the Bridge Kingdom series, but instead of following Lara and Aren, this story focuses on Lara's brother Keris and introduces Zarrah. The events unfold alongside The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2), as Keris and Zarrah from two warring kingdoms form an unexpected alliance that deepens into something more until their true identities are revealed.
Because this book runs parallel to The Traitor Queen, many of the major plot points and outcomes are already known. This made some of the more stressful moments less impactful since the tension was diminished. That said, Danielle L. Jensen makes a clear effort to keep the scenes fresh and not overly repetitive, which I appreciated.
Keris and Zarrah are fascinating leads, and their romance is entertaining, though I didn’t fall in love with them in the same way I had with Aren and Lara. Their relationship develops quickly, not quite insta-love but still faster than I would have preferred. It felt fitting for Keris, but less in line with how Zarrah had been built up.
What I really enjoyed, though, was how much their characters made me think. Keris starts as someone who wants nothing to do with the war yet doesn’t act to stop it, and his growth into a man who backs his words with action was very satisfying. Zarrah, meanwhile, has long been the face of her aunt’s army and fueled by vengeance. Watching her begin to question who truly benefits from war was a highlight of the story.
The worldbuilding also stood out here, giving a stronger sense of how widespread the conflict has become and how deeply the wars have scarred the kingdoms. Seeing the impact from multiple sides made the story feel larger and more layered, helping me better understand the costs of the endless fighting.
Compared to the first two books, this one feels different in tone. Where Aren and Lara’s romance was driven by political intrigue, betrayal, and high-stakes tension, Keris and Zarrah’s story is more reflective and morally complex. It asks bigger questions about loyalty, the cost of war, and whether love can survive when everything else is broken.
Even with how much I liked these characters, I felt the book spent too much time on moments that overlapped with the previous installment, leaving less room for the new and unexplored. Still, the romance was fun, the themes were strong, and the writing carried me through.
I continue to love this series, and I’m excited to see where it goes next, especially with less overlap and more original ground to cover.
Ok so I didn’t LOVE it… but there were parts that I loved. I think the fact that I knew what was going to happen for a good chunk of the book was throwing me off and I found myself skipping ahead. I love Karrah tho. The way he loved her. Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence